Willow Walk, Wantage - 29 August

2 Beautiful Demoiselle

Mark Bradfield 

In iRecord 

Trap Grounds, Oxford - 27 July

1 Southern Hawker

Nicola Devine

Southern Hawker © Nicola Devine

Clifton Hampden/Burcot - 30 July

Earth Trust River of Life 2 transect covering Little Mead Meadow, Clifton Meadow and Thomas's Meadow - centred on SU 553 957.

Common Blue Damselfly 148
Red Eyed Damselfly 7
Blue Tailed Damselfly 5 
White Legged Damselfly 2
Banded Demoiselle 13
Southern Hawker 1
Migrant Hawker 1
Black tailed Skimmer 6
Common Darter 3

Mark Bradfield

In iRecord

Banded Demoiselle © Mark Bradfield

Black-tailed Skimmers in cop © Mark Bradfield

Radley Lakes, 29th July

Common Blue Damselfly 10+
Blue-tailed Damselfly 4
White-legged Damselfly 1 (imm ♀)
Emperor Dragonfly 2
Brown Hawker 4
Southern Hawker 1
Black-tailed Skimmer 4
Ruddy Darter 7

White-legged Damselfly (imm ♀) © David Hastings

Ruddy Darter (♀) © David Hastings

Abingdon Sewage Farm - 29 July

Over the Wilts and Berks Canal where it joins the Thames SU497950

Common Blue Damselfly - a few
Red-eyed Damselfly - a few
Small Red-eyed Damselfly 1
Blue-tailed Damselfly 1
Banded Demoiselle 1
Brown Hawker 1
Emperor Dragonfly 3 (including ovipositing female)
Common Darter 1

Brian Walker

In iRecord 

Emperor © Brian Walker

Brown Hawker © Brian Walker

Radley Lakes - 24 July

2 Emperor
c4 Brown Hawker
c5 Black-tailed Skimmer

Jason Coppock

Unfortunately no sign of the Lesser Emperor 

Grimsbury Reservoir and Upper Cherwell Valley - 23 July

Grimsbury Reservoir

Black-tailed Skimmer - 5+ (last weekend there were 20+)

Grimsbury Reservoir, River Cherwell (SP 45904 41731 to SP 46267 42473)

Brown Hawker - 4 minimum
Small Red-eyed Damselfly - 9
Red-Eyed Damselfly - 44
Blue-tailed Damselfly - 4
Common Blue/Azure Damselflies - 70+ (mostly Common Blue)
Banded Demoiselle - 4
(Friday 22nd afternoon, a probable Migrant Hawker)

Upper Cherwell Valley, Borrow Pit pool (SP 46453 43152)

Emperor Dragonfly - 1
Brown Hawker - 1
Black-tailed Skimmer - 5+
Small Red-eyed Damselfly - 35+, inc. ovipositing
Red-Eyed Damselfly - 20+
Blue-tailed Damselfly - 5+
Common Blue/Azure Damselflies - 150+ (mostly Common Blue)
Banded Demoiselle - 1

Gareth Blockley

Small Red-eyed Damselflies © Gareth Blockley

Small Red-eyed Damselfly © Gareth Blockley

Longford Park, Banbury - 24 June

An interesting pair of photos from Longford Park last month, courtesy of Steve Gresty.

The first given below shows a definite immature Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly of the orange (aurantiaca) form. 

However the second photo is considered by both Adrian Parr and Steve Hewitt to show an immature Blue-tailed Damselfly of the form rufescens-obsoleta. To arrive at this conclusion, these experts mention a number of features, the clearest of which is the presence of the post-ocular spots which are typical of Blue-tailed but not Scarce Blue-tailed. 

 Immature female Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly of the orange (aurantiaca) form © Steve Gresty

Immature Blue-tailed Damselfly of the form rufescens-obsoleta © Steve Gresty

Little Wittenham Wood - 24 July

3 Blue-tailed Damselflies, 10+ Common Blue Damselflies, 50+ Azure Damselflies, 1 Willow Emerald Damselfly (male), 4 Brown Hawkers, 1 Migrant Hawker (male), 2 Common Darter and 7 Ruddy Darter.

Observations entered in iRecord

Ruddy Darter (c) John Bloomfield

Migrant Hawker (c) John Bloomfield

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) John Bloomfield

Radley Lakes, 22nd July

I spent two hours at Radley Lakes this afternoon. Seen along the west side of the railway line (approx SU525973):

Common Blue Damselfly 20+
Blue-tailed Damselfly 6
Ruddy Darter 6
Brown Hawker 2
Lesser Emperor 1 (possible; I saw the blue saddle as it went over my head, but could't get bins on it)

Seen at Orchard Lake:

Blue-tailed Damselfly 2
Common Spreadwing (aka Emerald Damselfly) 2f
Emperor Dragonfly 1
Brown Hawker 1
Black-tailed Skimmer 11 (incl one pair in cop)
Ruddy Darter 6
Common Darter 1

Common Spreadwing ♀© David Hastings

Ruddy Darter ♂© David Hastings

Cothill/Parsonage Moor - 25 June

 

Four Stopped Chaser (praenubila form) © Steve Gresty

Small Red Damselfly © Steve Gresty

Otmoor - 21 July

Migrant Hawker - 2 imm. males 
Black-tailed Skimmer

Steve Roby

Migrant Hawker (immature male) © Steve Roby

Aston, 21st July

I watched a dragonfly ovipositing in my garden pond at lunchtime today, but it was an Emperor Dragonfly,  not what I was expecting at all. A female Blue-tailed Damselfly of form infuscans also put in an appearance.

Emperor Dragonfly ♀© David Hastings

Blue-tailed Damselfly ♀© David Hastings

Dida Gardens Pond, Didcot - 21 July

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly 1f (aurantiaca type)
Emerald Damselfly 1
Blue-tailed Damselfly c30
Emperor 1
Common Darter 2

Ian Lewington

Emerald Damselfly (f) © Ian Lewington

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (f of aurantiaca form)  © Ian Lewington

Radley Lakes - 21 July

1 LESSER EMPEROR -  Thrupp lake along the road on the east side where there is a rail at the edge of the lake (approx SU521975). Views too fleeting for a photo. Observer 90% confident in ID. First for this site since 2007!
Willow Emerald Damselfly - SU525972
Small red-eyed Damselfly - a little north of the above
Common Blue Damselfly, 
Azure Damselfly - 2
Red-eyed Damselfly
Blue-tail Damselfly. 
Ruddy Darters - 2
Black-tailed Skimmers - 2. 
Teneral darters at Orchard Lake

Brian Walker

Willow Emerald Damselfly (f) © Brian Walker

Small red-eyed Damselfly © Brian Walker

Grove Meadows, Grove - 19 July

Morning - before it got too hot! But still >30C.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly - difficult to count as spread thinly over large area - at least 30.

Common Blue Damselfly

Blue tailed Damselfly 

Emperor 1m

Common Darter 5-10 (adult males around the pond edge and tenerals in the surrounding vegetation)

Stephen Burch

Small Red-eyed Damselfly [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

Common Darter [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

University Parks, Oxford - 13 July

By the pond in the NE corner, near the river at SP517075

1m Broad-bodied Chaser

Treve Willis

Initially thought to be a Scarce Chaser, this individual was only a worn Broad-bodied Chaser for the following reasons:

• Extensive dark patches at the bases of both the front and rear wings (on Scarce Chaser only rear wings have such extensive dark patches)
• Pterostigma more extended than on Scarce Chaser. Also appear black, not dark brown.
• Small black tip to abdomen - it is more extensive on Scarce Chaser
• Although there are no yellow spots on the sides of the abdomen, there are markings there of the same size and shape.
• Width of abdomen fits better with Broad-bodied. 
• The eyes are not clearly blue

Broad-bodied Chaser © Trevor Willis

Burnhyll Community Woodland Pool, Bicester - 17 July

Pool is at SP565218 (see Google Maps at 51.8922743480746, -1.1792769026222347)

Small Red-eyed Damselfly c40
Common Blue Damselfly 2f
Red-eyed Damselfly 4
Blue-tailed Damselfly a few
Common Blue and Azure many
Emperor 6
Brown Hawker 1
Black-tailed Simmer 12
Common Darter 1

Ian Lewington

 Common Blue Damselfly (f) © Ian Lewington

Small Red-eyed Damselfly © Ian Lewington

River Thames, Shillingford - 16 July

3 Common Blue Damselflies, 8 Azure Damselflies, 7 Blue-tailed Damselflies, 10 White-legged Damselflies, 2 Red-eyed Damselflies, 4 Brown hawkers, 1 Black-tailed Skimmer and 2 Common Darters along the Earth Trust River Thames transect.

1 Ruddy Darter and 1 Willow Emerald Damselfly (female) - the latter in willow scrub in the Thames backwater (same area as previous sightings).

1 Common Darter in Little Wittenham Wood.

All sightings entered in iRecord

Willow Emerald Damselfly (female) (c) John Bloomfield

 

Cholsey Meadows - 16 July

c. 40 Small Red-eyed Damselfly
Azure Damselfly
Blue tailed Damselfly
Red-eyed Damselfly 
Emperor
Four-spotted Chaser
Black-tailed Skimmer 
Ruddy Darter
Common Darter

Alan Dawson

Small Red-eyed Damselfly - pair in cop. © Alan Dawson

East Hanney - 15 July

Letcombe Brook

Beautiful Demoiselle 1 - at about SU415929
Banded Demoiselle 20+

Stephen Burch

Banded Demoiselle © Stephen Burch

Faringdon Folly Park Pond - 15 July am

Small Red-eyed Damselfly - only 3+ (little floating material)
Red-eyed Damselfly - 1
Blue-tailed Damselfly - abundant 30+?
Azure Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
Emperor - 2m, 1f ovipositing
Common Darter - 2 teneral

Stephen Burch

Emperor ovipositing © Stephen Burch

Boundary Brook NR, Oxford - 14 July pm

Azure Damselfly c. 20
Large Red Damselfly 1m
Blue tailed Damselfly 1m  (first site record!)
Broad-bodied Chaser 1m 
Ruddy Darter 2m (first site record!)
Common Darter 1m

Stephen Burch

Broad-bodied Chaser  © Stephen Burch

Otmoor - 14 July

Along bridleway between Roman road and cattle pens:

1f  Willow Emerald Damselfly - landed on the recorder's hand!

Pete Roby

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Pete Roby

Oxford Botanic Gardens - 13 July

10s Small Red-eyed Damselfly
2 Emperor

James Wainscoat

Emergent damselfly sp, possibly Small Red-eyed © James Wainscoat

River Thames nr Shillingford Bridge - 13 July

 25+ Blue-tailed Damselflies, 2 Common Blue Damselflies, 2 White-legged Damselflies, 1 Willow Emerald Damselfly (f).

The single Willow Emerald Damselfly was seen in Willow scrub near one of the Thames backwaters in the same area that the species was seen last year.

Records entered in iRecord

Willow Emerald Damselfly (female) (c) John Bloomfield

Willow Emerald Damselfly (female) (c) John Bloomfield

Willow Emerald Damselfly (female) (c) John Bloomfield

Cholsey Meadows - 12 July

 

Ruddy Darter © Alan Dawson

Otmoor - 7 July

1 Small Red-Eyed damselfly - in the ditch in front of the cattle pens on Greenaways.
1 Red-Eyed damselfly
7 Brown Hawkers
3 Emperors
1 Four Spotted Chaser
1 Southern Hawker

Pete Roby

Small Red-Eyed Damselfly © Pete Roby

Dida Gardens Pond, Didcot - 10 July

4 Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly
12 Blue-tailed Damselfly  
Several Azure Damselfly
2 Emperors
2 Black-tailed Skimmers
2 Common Darters.

Note: the original private Scarce Blue-tailed site from last year has dried up and there were no damselflies present. On 21 June, there were 23 Scarce Blue-taileds!

Ian Lewington

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (f) © Ian Lewington

Trap Grounds, Oxford - 11 July

Brown Hawker 1
Emperor (m) 1
Ruddy Darter (m) 1
Blue Damselflies 50+  including Blue-tailed, Azure and Common Blue all seen, some in tandem, some ovipositing.

Nicola Devine

Brown Hawker © Nicola Devine

Cholsey Meadows - 10 July

About 12 Small Red-eyed Damselflies
About 12 Red-eyed Damselflies
4-5 Emperor 
5 Four-spotted Chasers
6-7 Black-tailed Skimmer
Common Blue Damselfly - 20ish, hard to count
Azure - 10-15
Blue tailed 6
Brown Hawker ovipositing 
Ruddy Darter 5
Common Darter 7

Conservative counts

Alan Dawson

Small Red-eyed Damselfly © Alan Dawson

Letcombe Valley BBOWT - 10 July

Pond at SU377860:

c. 5 Azure Damselfly
1 teneral Common Darter

Stephen Burch

 

Grove Meadows Stormwater Pond - 9 July

Small Red-eyed Damselfly: 30+, inc 1 pair ovipositing
Common Blue Damselfly: many
Blue-tailed Damselfly: 1-2
Emperor: 2+
Four-spotted Chaser: 2
Common Darter: 2 mature males patrolling, 10+ tenerals

Stephen Burch

Small Red-eyed Damselfly © Stephen Burch

Farmoor - 7 July

Buckthorn Meadow pond and Farmoor I &II:

3 Emperor 
2 Black-tailed Skimmer
2 Four-spotted Chaser
10s blue damselflies 

James Wainscoat

Ovipositing Emperor being "buzzed" by Common Blue Damselfly © James Wainscoat

Black-tailed Skimmer © James Wainscoat

Large numbers of Common Blue Damselfly at edge of FI © James Wainscoat

Lamb's Pool area - 8 July

Woodford Bottom BBOWT

Banded demoiselle 1m flew through
Broad-bodied chaser 2m

Lamb's Pool BBOWT

Banded demoiselle 1m
White-legged Damselfly 23, including 4 pair, one ovipositing.
Azure damselfly 19, including 4 pair
Common blue damselfly 15+
Azure/Common estimate at 200+
Blue-tailed damselfly 6m
Red-eyed damselfly 2m
Brown hawker 1
Emperor 2m
Four-spotted chaser 2
Black-tailed skimmer 5m 

Steve Holliday

Banded Demoiselle © Steve Holliday